Saturday Creative Confession

For those of you who have had an inkling to look around the site, you may have spotted the new tab that says “Online Courses.”

This is an ambitious goal. One that fills me with dread when I think too hard and long. That’s why my daily task has been putting away thinking, and just do.

I wrote the goal down and published the page to begin painting the bigger picture. It’s already out there.

I began to plan and create the course using the Udemy instructor tools. It’s taking shape.

Why do I want to attain this goal?

It’s something I have not done.

It speaks to my inner teaching vocation.

It could be a good learning tool for myself, a way to gather experience for future online courses on self-hosting platforms like Teachable or Thinkific.

Mostly and above all else, it stirs up all my anxiety and fear.

Publishing my posts, articles, short-stories online and books on Amazon is scary enough. You are opening up yourself and your craft for all kinds of judgment, unconstructive criticism, and bad reviews. But my hat is off to those that actually face a camera and talk to millions online, through YouTube Channels and Online learning platforms.

This fear of public speaking has been following me around like a smelly cat since my high school years. I forced myself to rise above it in college and graduate school. I’ve had recent practice with the book presentations I’ve done in elementary schools and high schools. It’s interesting to realize that I have such anxiety about speaking to people who are not even there…

The mountain is looking menacing from afar. By stepping into this new and scary forest, taking small calculated steps through its winding path, I will eventually find myself at the top of the mountain. Hope to see you there!